Attachment for printing presses



y 1934- R. E. THICKENS 1,957,559

ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed April 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @Jfw/ ga y 1934- R. E. THICKENS ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed April 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1%, 1934 UNITED STATES ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING PRESSES Richard E. Thickens, Menasha, Wis., assignor to Dexter Folder Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 20, 1931, Serial No. 531,315

21 Claims.

This invention relates to attachments for sheet feeders used in conjunction with printing presses or other means to be fed, and more particularly to an attachment for a suction or other 5 pile feeder for printing presses.

Heretofore, in pile feeders of certain types used in conjunction with printing presses, the paper to be printed upon has been previously cut into sheets before reaching the printers hands, which 19 results in an additional cost to the printer. One

of the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved device for attachment to suction pile feeders or oth r types of feeders, wherein printers or other users of feeders can 15 purchase the paper in roll form, trim the paper, out the paper into sheets of predetermined sizes and feed cut paper directly to the press or other means to be thus not only saving considerable time, but also saving the cost of having 29 the paper out into sheets before purchasing.

Another object of the invention is to provide m-chanism for cutting and feeding sheets from a roll associated with a conventional type of sheet feeder in such manner that parts of both 25 may be interchangeably positioned in the feeder proper to enable optional use of said mechanism or said feeder as desired.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a roll sheeting mechanism or machine 39 so arranged in conjunction with a conventional type of sheet feeder as to enable optional use of each without having to displace the entire roll sheeting mechanism or the entire feeder.

Another object of the present invention is the 0 provision of a device of the character described which can be readily assembled and associated .ii ia feeder for the press, so that the feeder may be thrown out of operation and paper taken di ectly from a stock roll can be cut in predetermined sizes and fed directly into the press through the feeder without being touched by hand in any way whatever, thus saving a good deal of expense to the printer.

A. f ther object of the present invention is the pro v sion of a roll sheeting mechanism which has a conveyor or belt adapted to extend in the feeder across the space therein for the well known automatically operated pile elevator or stack support, the conveyor being movable to operative and inoperative positions so that either the roll sheeting mechanism or the feeder including said elevator or support can be used as the occasion may require.

53 Other objects of the present invention will appear as the following description proceeds, and in order to more clearly understand said invention, reference be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the 59 inventive idea.

In said drawings:-

Figure 1 is a section on the line 11 of Figure 2 and. shows a conventional sheet feeder equipped w; n my improved roll sheeting mechanism or device;

Figure 2 is a detail plan View, showing the endless feeder tapes, or belts, of said mechanism or devices, and illustrating their positions relative to the feed roll of said feeder; and

Figure 3 is a detail section illustrating the detachable connection between the belt support and the sheet feeder frame.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout several views in which I have illustrated one embodiment of this invention, it will be noted that ordinarily there is arranged in close proximity to the press or other means to be fed, what is known in the trade as a suction pile feeder, employed to carry sheets of paper that are piled or stacked on an automatic feed platform or elevator which rises as the sheets through the medium of suction separating and forwarding devices (not shown) are separated and fed off the top of the pile or stack to the feeding rolls or other suitable means for directing the sheets of paper toward the press or other means to be fed. This feeder includes a frame which is arranged in close proxlmity to the press and comprises spaced standards 1, 1, connected at their upper ends by the frame members 2. The standards 1, 1 at their lower ends are provided with substantially flat base members 3 which are secured in any suitable manner on the comparatively smooth surface of the press room or other place where the feeder is installed.

Spaced from the standards 1 at one side of the feeder frame is a second pair of standards 4, connected intermediate their ends by means of a cross brace 5 and connected at their upper ends by means of a second cross brace 6. Extending from the cross brace 5 to the rods 1 are the frame members '7 that support spaced brackets 8, and extending forwardly from the cross brace 6 are the frame members 9 provided with offset portions 10 connected directly to one set of the rods 1. The standards 4, cross braces 5, 6, frame mem bers 7, brackets 8, and frame members 9, constitute an auxiliary frame for roll sheeting mechanism which, together with said auxiliary frame, is associated with the sheet feeder and preferably mounted, constructed, and operated as follows.

Arranged between the standards 4 and the standards 1 are the spaced brackets 11 of a roll holder having bearings 12 at the upper ends for supporting the trunnions 13 of a large roll of paper 14. The paper from this roll is fed upwardly on one side of the guide roll 15, mounted upon the frame members '7, and thence upwardly on the opposite side of a guide roll 16, carried by the brackets 8. After passing the roll 16, the paper is brought into contact with a pressure roll 17, cooperating with a rotary slitter mechanism 18 which may be used for cutting the paper longitudinally or for cutting the edges thereof.

The paper after being slit or edge trimmed is passed around a large roll 19 supported on and between standards 20 carried by the frame members 9, and arranged in opposed relation with the roll 19 is a tension roll 21 mounted in any suitable manner on the standards 29. The paper after passing over the roll 19 passes over a stationary cutting blade 22 mounted on the frame member 9, and cooperating with this cutting blade 22 are the knives 23 on the cutter supporting roll 24. The roll 24 is also mounted in suitable brackets upon the frame members 9.

It may be pointed out that the cutting knives 23 on the roll 24 can be arranged in spaced relation around the circumference of the roll at various distances according to the size of the sheets of paper required to be cut from the web that is fed to the cutters from roll 14.

Journalled in any suitable manner upon the offset parts of frame members 9 is a shaft 25 supporting a roller 26, and extending in the sheet supply or pile receiving space of the feeder frame, are the inclined conveyor frame members comprised by channel bars 27 the lower rear ends of which are provided with sleeves 28 rotatably mounted upon shaft 25. Extending downwardly from the upper or forward end of each of the channel bars 27, is an arm 29. The arms 29 are connected at their lower ends by means of a cross piece 30 adapted to be arranged in abutting relation with a cross bar 31, the ends of which are clamped to the standards 1', as shown in Figure 3, by means of the clamping members 32. The cross pieces 30 and 31 are securely bolted together by means of the bolts 33, provided with removable nuts 34.

From the above construction, it will be readily apparent that should it be desired to use the usual pile feeder, the conveyor frame comprising the channel bars 27 and the arms 29 can be disconnected from the cross member 31 and dropped down to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. Arranged transversely between the forward ends of the channel members 27 is a guide roll 35 and passing around the rolls 26 and 35 are the spaced endless sheet conveying tapes, or belts All of the tapes, or belts 36, which pass around the rolls 26 and 35, are engaged by means of a tension roll 37 carried by pivoted brackets 38 connected to the lower sides of the channel members 2'7.

Rotatably supported upon the brackets 8 is a guide roll 39 and passing around the guide roll 39 and around the roll 26, between the endless belts 36, are the endless belts 40, the lower runs of which have their upper faces engaged by a tension roll 41 carried by the brackets 42 pivoted to the brackets 8. It will be apparent that the belts passing around the roll 26 run between the belts 36, so as not to interfere with the movement of the latter belts.

The rolls l5 and 16 are loosely mounted for guide purposes only and roll 17 may also be loosely mounted, if desired. However, roll 1'7 may be connected up with any suitable driving power. The rolls 19, 24 and 26 can also be connected up with any conventional type of driving mechanism.

It will be noted that when the inclined channel members 27 are arranged in operative position, as shown in Figure 1, the upper ends thereof are disposed in close proximity to the feed .rolls 43, so that the pieces of paper indicated a a will be carried upwardly through the feeder frame by the conveyor belts 36 to and between the feed rolls 43.

From the above description tion with the accompanying be apparent that the printer or other user of this roll sheeting mechanism, can purchase his paper direct from the mills in large rolls such as indicated at 14, and place the paper between the supporting standards 11, so that the trunnions 13 of the roll can be mounted in the bearings 12.

The paper is then passed upwardly upon opposite sides of the rolls l5 and 16, and then directed between the roll 17 and the slitter 18, where the cutting knives of the slitter can be arranged in a predetermined manner for cutting the paper in different widths or for merely trimming the edges thereof.

After the paper has been cut or trimmed longitudinally, it is passed over the roll 19 where tension is applied thereto by means of the tension roll 21, the paper being directed from the roll 19 between the roll 24 and the stationary cutting knife, where the paper, through cooperation between the cutting knives 23 carried by the roll 24 and the stationary cutting knife, is cut into sheets a of any predetermined length, which drop downwardly, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 1, onto the spaced belts 40. The belts 40 feed the sheets a onto the feeding elts 36 which, in turn, carry said sheets upwardly to the feed rolls 43.

It will be noted that this device can be used in connection with the well known suction pile feeder, using the same supporting frame for the taken in connecdrawings, it will feeder, but doing away with the stack support and using in place thereof, the conveyor belts 36 and 40. It will also be noted that the frame which supports the belts 36 may be readily secured in an operative position, as shown by full lines in Figure 1, or can be dropped downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1 when it is desired to use the pile feeder including its stack support or elevator and sheet separating and forwarding devices.

This roll sheeting mechanism will not only save the printer or other user thereof considerable expense incident to cutting of the paper, but will also provide him with relatively inexpensive roll sheeting mechanism for optional use with press or other equipment already having various types of sheet feeders installed for operation in conjunction therewith.

Moreover, the present invention provides roll sheeting mechanism or devices readily adapted for installation with conventional feeders for presses or the like, and wherein a direct feed may be had from said mechanism to the press or device to be fed without the necessity for removing the conventional feeder from its place of installation. Further, roll sheeting anism of the present invention which is associated directly with a pile or other conventional type of feeder, utilizes such feeder in the feeding of sheets from the roll sheeting mechanism to the press or other means to be fed, and elimi 'inates disadvantages incident to roll sheeting mechanism installed directly on the press frame work.

While I have herein shown and described one embodiment of my invention with more or less particularity, it is to be expressly understood that said invention is not limited to said embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a feeder frame, a cutter supporting frame, means for supporting a roll of paper in the latter frame, a movable conveyor pivoted to the cutter supporting frame for movement into and out of detachable connection with the feeder frame, cutting means carried by the cutter supporting frame, and means adapted to feed the paper from the roll to the cutting means for cutting the same into sheets of predetermined size to be deposited onto the conveyor and delivered ther by to means adjacent the front of said feeder frame.

2. The combination of a feede frame, a cutter supporting frame adjacent thereto, means for supporting a roll of paper in the latter frame, means on the cutter supporting frame for cutting a web of paper from the roll into sheets of predetermined sizes, feed rolls carried by the feeder frame, and a conveyor pivoted to the supporting frame and detachably connected to the feeder frame, said conveyor serving to carry the cut sheets through the feeder frame to the feed rolls and being movable to an inoperative position in the cutter supporting frame.

3. A device of the character described includng a feeder frame, a cutter supporting frame, feed roils on the feeder frame, a conveyor frame pivotally mounted on the cutter supporting frame for swinging movement into the feeder frame and detachably connected to the feeder frame adjacent the feed rolls, endless conveyor belts carried by the conveyor frame, cutting means carried by the supporting frame and adapted to cut a continuous strip of paper into sheets of predetermined sizes, and means for conveying the cut sheets from the cutting means onto the endless conveyor belts.

a. A device of the character described including a feeder frame, a cutter upporting frame, a conveyor frame extending in the feeder frame and having one end pivotally mounted upon the cutter supporting frame, means for detachably conmeeting the other end of the conveyor frame to the feeder frame, endless conveyor belts carried by the conveyor frame, a second set of endless belts carried by the cutter supporting frame and cooperating with the first belts, and cutting means carried by the cutter supporting frame and adapted to cut a continuous strip of paper into sheets of predetermined sizes delivered onto the second set of belts and being conveyed onto the first belts.

5. In a roll sheeting mechanism for use with means having a sheet feeder therefor, roll sheet- -g devices. and a sheet conveyor movable through he feeder frame to an operative position within ar s and an inoperative position exteriorly .e: eby sheets may be fed from said roll eeting devices or said feeder to a sheet feeding or forwarding part of the latter.

6. In a roll sheeting mechanism for use with means havin a sheet feeder therefor, roll sheeting devices, and a conveyor pivoted for swinging movement to operative inoperative positions w ereby sheets be fed from said devices or said feeder to a sheet feeding or forwarding part of the latter.

In a roll sheeting mechanism for use with means having a sheet feeder therefor, roll sheeting devices, one or more feed rollers at the top and front of the feeder, and means removably positioned within the frame of said feeder and adapted to deliver sheets through said frame from said roll sheeting devices to said roller or rollers.

8. In a roll sheeting mechanism for use with means having a sheet feeder therefor, roll sheeting devices associated with the sheet feeder and spaced from a sheet feeding or forwarding part thereof, said roll sheeting devices comprising a roll holder and a sheet cutter to which a web may be led from a roll on said holder and cut into sheets by the cutter, and means for delivering said sheets through the feeder from said cutter to said part.

9. In a roll sheeting mechanism for use with means having a sheet feeder therefor, roll sheeting devices, and a conveyor movable in one direction through the feeder frame to an inoperative position when the sheet feeder is used and movable in one opposite direction through the feeder frame to an operative position therein when the roll sheeting mechanism is used, said conveyor, when in operative position in the feeder frame, being adapted to deliver sheets from said roll sheeting devices to a sheet feeding or forwarding part of said sheet feeder.

10. In a roll sheeting mechanism for use with means having a sheet feeder therefor, a roll holder, a cutter adapted to cut sheets from a web fed thereto from a roll on said holder, and a movably mounted sheet conveying device adapted to be removabiy positioned in the sheet feeder frame when the feeder is out of use, said device serving to feed sheets from said cutter through said frame for delivery to said first named means.

11. In apparatus of the character described, a feeder frame, means for feeding sheets therefrom, roll sheeting mechanism associated with the feeder frame and spaced from the sheet feeding means, and means movable through said frame to operative and inoperative positions and adapted to carry sheets from said mechanism to said sheet feeding means when in operative position in the feeder frame.

12. In apparatus of the character described, a feeder frame, sheet feeding means adjacent one side of the feeder frame, roll sheeting mechanism adjacent the opposite side of the feeder frame, and a displaceable conveyor adapted to be positioned in said feeder frame to carry sheets therethrough from said mechanism to said sheet feeding means.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a feeder frame, sheet feeding means thereon, roll sheeting mechanism associated with the feeder frame and spaced from the sheet feeding means, and a pivoted conveyor adapted to swing in said frame from an inoperative position to an operative position and carry sheets from said mechanism to said sheet feeding means.

14. In apparatus of the character described,

sheet feeding means and sheet cutting means arranged in spaced relation, a pile feeder frame extending between said means, roll supporting means from which a web may be led to the sheet cutting means and cut into sheets thereby, and means movable to an operative position in said frame and adapted to deliver the sheets from said cutting means to said sheet feeding means.

15. In a roll sheeting apparatus for use with means having a pile feeder therefor, the combination with a frame for the pile feeder and sheet advancing means adjacent the front therefor for feeding sheets toward said first named means, of a web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism associated with the pile feeder frame and including sheetconveying means positioned adjacent the sheet advancing means in the space in said frame normally occupied by the removable vertically actuated pile supporting means of said feeder, a web cutter forming part of the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and located adjacent the sheet conveying means in spaced relation with the sheet advancing means, and means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper from which a web may be fed and cut by said mechanism into sheets delivered to said sheet conveying means and conveyed thereby to said sheet advancing means.

16. In a roll sheeting apparatus for use with means having a pile feeder therefor, the combination with a frame for said pile feeder and sheet advancing means, including a sheet feeding roller, adjacent the front of said frame for feeding sheets toward said first named means, of web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism associated with the pile feeder frame and including driven endless sheet conveying tapes located adjacent the sheet feeding roller in the space in said frame normally occupied by the removable vertically actuated pile supporting means of said feeder, a web cutter forming part of the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and located adjacent the driven endless sheet conveying tapes in spaced relation with the sheet feeding roller, and means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper from which a web may be fed and cut by said mechanism into sheets delivered to said tapes and carried thereby to said roller.

17. In a roll sheeting apparatus for use with means having a pile feeder therefor, the combination with a fixedly positioned frame for said pile feeder and sheet advancing means at the top and front thereof for feeding sheets toward said first named means, of web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism associated with the fixedly positioned pile feeder frame and including sheet conveying means adapted to deliver sheets to the sheet advancing means and positioned in the I space in said frame normally occupied by the removable vertically actuated pile supporting means of the feeder, a web cutter forming part of the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and disposed in spaced relation with the sheet advancing means, a second frame carrying the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism, and means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper in said second frame whereby a web led from said roll to said cutter may be cut into sheets delivered therefrom to said sheet conveying means and carried thereby to said sheet advancing means.

18. In a roll sheeting apparatus for use with means having a pile feeder therefor, the combination with a fixedly positioned frame for the pile feeder and sheet advancing means adjacent the front and top of said frame for feeding sheets toward said first named means, of web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism associated with the pile feeder frame and including driven endless sheet conveying means adapted to deliver sheets to the sheet advancing means and positioned in the space in said frame normally occupied by the removable vertically actuated pile supporting means of said feeder, a web cutter forming part of the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and disposed in spaced relation with the sheet advancing means, web feeding and guiding means, a second frame carrying the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and said web feeding and guiding means, and means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper in said second frame whereby a web fed from said roll to said cutter by said web feeding and guiding means may be cut into sheets delivered to said sheet conveying means and carried thereby to said sheet advancing means.

19. In a roll sheeting apparatus for use with means having a pile feeder therefor, the combination with a fixedly positioned frame for the pile feeder and sheet advancing means, including one or more feed rollers, adjacent the top and front of said frame for feeding sheets toward said first named means, of web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism associated with the pile feeder frame and including driven endless sheet conveying means adapted to deliver sheets to the sheet advancing means and positioned in the space in said frame normally occupied by the removable Vertically actuated pile supporting means of said feeder, web feeding and guiding means, a web cutter forming part of the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and disposed in spaced relation with and between the sheet advancing means and the web feeding and guiding means, a second frame carrying the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and the web feeding and guiding means, and means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper in said second frame whereby a web fed and guided from said roll by said web feeding and guiding means to said cutter may be cut into sheets delivered therefrom to said endless sheet conveying means and carried thereby to said roller or rollers.

20. In roll sheeting apparatus for use with means having a pile feeder therefor, the combination with a frame for the pile feeder and sheet advancing means adjacent the front thereof for feeding sheets toward said first named means, of web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism associated with the pile feeder frame and including sheet conveying means adapted to deliver sheets to the sheet advancing means and positioned in the space in said frame normally occupied by the removable vertically actuated pile supporting means of said feeder, a web cutter forming part of the web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism and disposed in spaced relation with the sheet advancing means and the sheet conveying means, a second sheet conveying means for receiving sheets from the web cutter and carrying them to the first named sheet conveying means, and means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper from which a web may be fed to said web cutter and cut into sheets thereby.

21. In a roil sheeting apparatus for use with frame for feeding sheets toward said first named j' means, of web cutting and sheet feeding mechanism associated with the pile feeder frame and including a web cutter and two pivotally connected driven endless sheet conveyors one of which is positioned adjacent said roller or rollers in the space in said frame normally occupied by the removable vertically actuated pile supporting means of said feeder, the other endless conveyor extending below the web cutter to receive sheets therefrom and carry them to the first named conveyor for delivery thereby to said sheet advancing means, and means for rotatably supporting a roll of paper from which a web may be fed to said web cutter and cut into sheets thereby.

RICHARD E. THICKENS. 

